A/N: I was going to post this in Bad Friends Tales, but it turned out to be a very obvious Arthur story. The Bouncing Souls were my favorite band in high school, and they'll always hold a special place in my heart. The songs are lighthearted and catchy, but the lyrics are honest to the bone and still strike a chord in me. Going to their show was a big turning point in my teenage life.
The time frame is early on in their junior year.
Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.
All songs and lyrics mentioned here belong to the Bouncing Souls.
We're gonna play no matter what they say! We're gonna play no matter what they say!
For a bunch of teenagers going to the concert of a band called the Bouncing Souls, Antonio and Gillian were excellent examples of the term. They were bobbing up and down with frenzied energy a few metres ahead of Francis and Arthur, already screaming their favorite lyrics to the darkening sky.
Outside the Fire Hall in PA,
It rained on three hundred kids all day,
When the cops came down nobody ran away!
WE'RE GONNA PLAY NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAYYYYY
Francis shook his head at them, smiling. He turned to Arthur.
"So, I know absolutely nothing about what we're doing tonight...remind me again?"
"They're just this fun punk rock band from New Jersey. Don't worry, it's not super hardcore or anything, but they're still the real stuff at the heart of it all." Arthur checked his pants to see if his wallet was still there. "I can't believe I'm going to the show with YOU guys."
"Believe it, little man. We hated the idea of you going to go by yourself, that's no fun. On your birthday too! That's just sad."
"Whatever, I'm used to it."
Gillian and Antonio came skipping back, high on life and excitement. Gillian flung one arm around the British boy, shouting into his ear.
Well I like to rock and I love to roll,
When the music's running through my soul!
I got no, no place to go,
But my own private radio!
Arthur pushed her away.
"Gill, you're going to wear out your voice, and they haven't even started yet."
"The ticket says 8 PM, and uh, it's almost 9:30..." Antonio fumbled with his ticket. "Are we late?"
"Nah, concerts never start on time. Anyway, there's an opening band. Some local group."
Francis tied his hair back into a ponytail. "Hey, Artie. Where's your new boytoy? Why didn't he come?"
"My WHAT?"
Gillian grinned at him, leaning over to inspect Arthur's rapidly reddening face. "Y'know. Freshman. Asian kid. Skinny. Hair looks like it comes straight outta some Japanese cartoon. Never smiles - just like you!"
Arthur scowled. "That's HK. He's Yao's younger brother and I'm supposed to be his upperclassman mentor, which is why he's always with me. Also, he's better company and far more mature than you three put together."
"Ooh, harsh!"
"But probably true."
"Yup, won't argue with that."
By that point, they'd reached the venue, a tiny club in the warehouse district. The slightly inebriated but friendly man at the door punched in their tickets and made sure to mark them as minors.
"Great timing, kids. They've just hit the stage."
Gillian and Antonio skipped inside, cheering madly. Francis was on their heels, also starting to get swept up into the adrenaline-laced pandemonium. Arthur followed, his heart pounding. There were about sixty other people in the space, ages ranging from other youth with X's on the back of their hands, to middle aged men wearing Black Flag tees and clutching bottles of beer. Relaxed and fiddling with instruments, the band was onstage, posing for photos with fans and chatting amiably. Then one particular man with a mop of curls for hair reached for the mic.
"Good evening, everyone. How are we tonight?"
The crowd thundered with delight. Francis cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.
"GILLIAN WANTS YOUR BABIES!"
The pale-haired girl squealed and punched him in the arm. Antonio and Francis fell into a heap of hysterical laughter. Arthur groaned. Why did he come with them again? Greg, for it was he who was the lead singer, smiled.
"Aw, thanks. But let's get this show started, shall we?"
Another roar of approval.
I met some people along the way,
Some of them split, some of them stay
Some of them walk, some walk on by
Got a few friends I'll love 'til I die!
Antonio and Gillian sang along whole heartedly, and at the last line, beamed at each other before pulling Francis into a tight, three-way hug. Arthur remained awkwardly next to them. He loved this song, too. He loved this band for being completely unpretentious and singing about what they knew best - fun, honesty, companionship - but sometimes, he felt that he could only relate by not being related to it at all. It was like staring through a store's glass window, seeing an item you desperately wanted and knowing all the cool stuff you could do with it, but you had no way of getting it.
"The hell, Artie! Don't be a stranger!"
Without warning, he found himself yanked very unceremoniously by the elbow into the threesome. Arms quickly tangled about him and suddenly, he was being suffocated in a sweaty embrace. Gillian and Antonio screaming song lyrics into his ear, and Francis...was Francis LICKING him? Bloody moron.
We live our life in our own way,
Never really listen to what they say,
The kind of faith that doesn't fade away,
We are the true believers!
"Gahhh! Okay! Love you too," He yelped. And was promptly dropped onto the floor. But not for long, as Antonio grabbed his arms and hauled him back up.
"You love us?" Arthur could barely make out the green eyes shining in the darkness of the club. "Awww, thanks, Arthur!"
The show went on, and the four friends sang, danced, headbanged, and moshed the night away. Since most of the other fans were pressed up around the stage, there was ample room at the back to move however they wanted to. At one point, Gillian paused, waving one arm in the air in a circular motion.
"Circle pit! Circle pit!"
With great gusto and lots of shouting, they began running after each other, still rocking out as hard as they could. Other teenagers noticed and joined in. Arthur was pushed and pulled around and around, nearly slipping on a puddle of spilled booze, but he wouldn't have stopped for the world.
FIrst Wednesday morning, I saw her there
Smiling at me with her blue eyes and curly hair
Couldn't wait 'til next week to make the stop
See her at the Quick Chek paper shop!
Best birthday ever. Arthur didn't want it to end. But of course, the end always came. His hair was dripping with sweat, Gillian could barely speak anymore, Antonio had bruises all over his legs, and Francis had somehow lost his shirt in the melee - but nobody was surprised about that. Arthur found himself squeezed tight in between the three crazy ruffians during the last song, all of them leaning on each other for support as they wearily - but happily - sang along.
It was a darkness on my own,
A song played on the radio
It went straight to my heart
I carried it with me...
Until that darkness was,
GO-O-O-O-ONE
GO-O-O-ONE
GO-O-O-O-ONE
G-O-O-ONE
"Thank you!" shouted Greg as the final chord died away. The room burst with cheers and shouts of joy. After Gillian begged (with the help of Antonio, as she couldn't speak anymore) the band members to sign her jeans, the four drifted off into the night.
"Hey Francis," Antonio called as they walked along the near-empty streets. "It's still okay for us to stay at your place, right? Gilly might not even make it there."
Arthur was practically dragging the exhausted girl down the pavement. She still smirked at him.
"Happy seventeenth, you stuffy ol' butthead," she whispered, voice cracking a bit.
"Sure, whatever." But she was right. He was pretty happy. Francis turned to face them, walking backwards - thankfully, he'd found his shirt just before they left.
"Arthur, you wanna stay over too?"
"Euhh...okay." Arthur struggled with Gillian's weight as she plodded on even more slowly, leaning on him heavily. "Promise not to molest me in my sleep?"
"No."
"Fuck you."
"Fuck me? By all means, mon cher."
Antonio came over and alleviated him of his burden, hoisting Gillian up piggy-back style. Stretching his back, Arthur contentedly glanced up at the inky night as he hummed a tune distractedly.
Hey-ey, where have I gone?
I used to be the one, looking for the hero
In some far off place. Blindly ever forward,
Never knowing all along...
The truth, was here in my own song.
A/N: Hahahahaha, they ALL have hair coming out of a Japanese cartoon! Literally!
So, some insight into Arthur's link to the BFT. He just has a habit of making ALL his relationships with people difficult, so it's nice when you have three batshit insane kids who have no qualms about blasting straight through that awkward barrier.
Reviews, please? C: